In some communication networks, e.g., Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) which connect plural Local Area Networks (LAN), data is transmitted from one point to multiple destination points. This kind of communication is known as point-to-multipoint-communication. The communication networks are very often designed in a star or a ring architecture. In a communication network with star architecture, each network node may be connected to a central node with a point-to-point connection. In a communication network with ring architecture, adjacent network nodes may be connected via a point-to-point connection, respectively, in order to form a closed ring. A special implementation of the ring architecture may be an “open ring”, which is often referred to as horseshoe architecture. In a communication network with horseshoe architecture, the first and the last network node (end nodes) may not be connected to each other directly, so that a link connecting the network nodes of the communication network may be arranged in the form of a horseshoe.
Connections between network nodes along the horseshoe-like link, connections between a network node along the horseshoe-like link and an end node of the horseshoe-like link or connections between the end nodes of the horseshoe-like link may be point-to-point connections. However, a point-to-point connection may be less effective since the point-to-point connection may merely be used, if data, for example a data packet, is available for transmission along the specific point-to-point connection. For example, aggregation of data for transmission along a plurality of network nodes may not be possible.
In some communication networks, regenerative network nodes are provided between a first link portion and a second link portion to mitigate signal impairments caused by the first link portion and re-transmit the regenerated signal to the second link portion. In the field of optical communication, these regenerative networks nodes are known as optical communication repeaters and may be provided between two optical communication link portions, e.g., optical fibers. In the field of wireless communication, these regenerative networks nodes are known as wireless relays, which may wirelessly receive and re-transmit, e.g., a radio frequency signal. Conventional regenerative network nodes perform time and power consuming Forward Error Correction (FEC) on a received signal—irrespective of the signal's destination. This may cause high latency and high power consumption in a communication network. Hence, there may be a desire for improved communication.
Document EP 1 303 082 A discloses a method to set up a transparent LAN-to-LAN functionality connection between a first multicustomer source location and a second multicustomer destination location through a RPR data transport network.
In document US 2006/0127100 A1 systems and methods for reconditioning an optical signal by optical-to-electrical converting the signal, recovering clock and data information and performing 3R reconditioning to reamplify, retime and reshape the converted electrical signal is disclosed.
Document EP 1 265 451 A2 discloses an architecture for a photonic transport network.